Grenada Expanding Accommodations and Air Service as Arrivals Surge

PHOTO: The Grand Etang Forest Reserve is located in Grenada’s mountainous interior. (photo by Brian Major)

Expanded air service from New York aboard JetBlue is the latest in a string of developments pushing Grenada to significantly expand its visitor arrivals. JetBlue Airway is launching new daily service between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Grenada’s Maurice Bishop International Airport beginning June 16 Patricia Maher, CEO of the Grenada Tourism Authority, said last week.

JetBlue currently offers five weekly flights to Grenada from JFK, along with weekly premium Mint service flights operating Saturdays on a seasonal basis. JetBlue added the Monday-departing fifth weekly flight in January. Sir Royston Hopkins, owner of Grenada’s iconic luxury property Spice Island Beach Resort, said last week he expects JetBlue to expand Mint service to year-around if the present flights perform well.

American Airlines will also launch new departure and arrival times for its daily scheduled flight between Grenada and Miami International Airport, a move designed to allow visitors more time on the island.

“We’re seeing a lot of demand from travelers in the Northeast, so we’re thrilled JetBlue will bring much-needed lift to the destination,” said Patricia Maher, CEO of Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA). “New York is one of our largest markets and we’re confident the island will see a domino effect across our tourism industry.”

A Special Spice

Among the world’s largest exporters of nutmeg and mace, Grenada is known as the Caribbean’s “Spice Island.” The bountiful harvest is indicative of Grenada’s splendidly lush natural environment, as the country offers outstanding outdoor activities on land and sea. Visitors will also find a diverse menu of hotel and resorts including luxury and all-inclusive properties.

“We’re local, authentic and real,” said Maher. “You can connect with the people in Grenada. It’s very easy to leave your hotel and go the restaurants, bars and nightclubs—even on the beach—and connect with Grenadians. We have more than 10 waterfalls and amazing vegetation and topography for hiking, including some trails along Grand Etang Lake.”

Grenada’s tourist arrivals were up over eight percent year-over-year on 2016, Maher said, including a 12 percent increase in cruise ship arrivals. Overnight arrivals were relatively flat following the 2014 launch of the Sandals La Source resort, whose operation significantly expanded Grenada’s overnight, land-based arrivals in 2015. The GTA is targeting just over 500,000 visitors in 2017, said Maher.

Expanded accommodations

Grenada’s resort sector is fast expanding. “We are going to grow out hotel room stock by 26 percent in the next two to three years,” said Maher.

The new properties will include the 146-room Kimpton Kawana Bay Grenada Resort, scheduled to open in 2019. Wedged between Grand Anse Beach and a tropical rainforest, the resort will offer multiple suite categories with private pools overlooking the beach. Other amenities will include an infinity pool, a “chef-driven” restaurant, a fitness center, a spa and water sports facilities.

The $60 million Silver Sands Hotel, another Grand Anse property, will open in December with 56 standard rooms, 12 suites and nine luxury villas. Levera Beach Resort, a 375-acre resort and residential development featuring a “conservation focus,” will launch in four phases beginning in December.

The first Levera Beach project, the Turtle Beach Hotel, will be an 80 unit-boutique hotel featuring 40 cottages and 20 casitas and villas. The hotel-within-a-hotel will feature three pools, a holistic spa, two restaurants supplied by local farms, and an on-site organic orchard.

Other Grenada hotels and resorts have recently undergone extensive renovations. The Sandals La Source Grenada Resort & Spa completed a $10 million expansion in July featuring the addition of 32 new nature-themed luxury suites. Another boutique property, Mount Cinnamon, is presently undergoing a $25 million renovation and expansion that will add 32 new suites and luxury villas. The first phase is slated for completion this winter.

Exciting Events

Grenada will also offer travelers an extensive array of festivals and special events in 2017. Caribbean and American stars of track and field will compete in the Grenada Inaugural Invitational, slated for April 8 at Kirani James Athletics Stadium.

Competitors will include Americans Justin Gatlin, David Oliver, Lashawn Merrit and Ashley Spenser; Veronica Campbell-Brown and Asafa Powell of Jamaica and none other than Kirani James, Grenada’s gold and silver medalist, who will race in the eponymous stadium.

The second annual Pure Grenada Music Festival, scheduled for May 5 to 7, will highlight local, regional and international artists performing on the seaside lawn of the Port Louis district. Festival-goers will have the chance to experience Grenadine culture and gastronomy with live music performances at scenic St. George’s harbor.

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